Customs Being Alerted On Mobile Handset Norms!

[Honest 836]

Customs being alerted on mobile handset norms

Customs authorities would be notified that mobile phone handsets being imported should have international standard certification from their manufacturers.

Majority of the handsets sold in India are imported. The international compliance norms are meant to prevent health hazards linked to use of mobile phones.

The international standard guidelines would be incorporated in the import licences for mobile handsets also.

Telecom Engineering Centre (TEC), the technical arm of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), has announced that the government has adopted the international compliance norms, and that customs authorities would be alerted on this development.

TEC has been ready with the proposal to implement international norms in India since early this year. DNA Money published a story on April 14, 2008, saying that India was set to adopt international compliance norms to prevent health hazards linked to use of mobile phones.

The Telecom Commission, the policy making body in the DoT, has now adopted the guidelines prescribed by the International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), TEC has said in an announcement.

ICNIRP guidelines are a benchmark for permitted maximum emission from mobile phones and base stations.

With mobile phone subscribers numbering 287 million in India and monthly addition at 8-9 million, the government is keen to ensure that health hazards do not come in the way of the telecom growth story.

Of late, there's been all-round concern over health risks due to electromagnetic emissions from base stations and handsets.

Licensed in Germany, ICNIRP is an international independent scientific organisation that provides guidance on health hazards of non-ionising radiation exposure. Its guidelines are endorsed by the World Health Organisation (WHO). These norms are followed in the US, UK, Japan and Korea.

According to the TEC note, put up discreetly on its website, the Telecom Commission has approved the adoption of ICNIRP guidelines in the telecom sector regarding basic restrictions and reference levels for limiting electro-magnetic field (EMF) exposure.

The TEC note said "these conditions would be incorporated in the import licence of mobile handsets, if any issued by DoT." It said that "manufacturers of mobile sets internally in India would be asked adopt these standards and self-certify their products."

TEC is yet to come out with the modalities of conducting third party random checks for ensuring that the guidelines are being followed at base stations, numbering over 70,000.

The telecom industry is believed to be apprehensive of the new regime. But, president of the Indian Cellular Association (ICA) Pankaj Mohindroo had recently said, "Health is a very important issue and the industry understands that. We want the norms to be very stringent."

According to Mohindroo, 90% of the handsets being sold in the Indian market are branded, and these are compliant with the international emission standards.

There's, however, a question mark on the other 10% coming from the parallel market, he said. In 2007, 90 million handsets were sold in India.

Courtesy : Sify

[Greatest 55]

so does this mean, we will not be able to import cdma phones from the US??

[Honest 836]

^^^

@Greatest

My dear friend, sure you can import Cdma handsets from US but the same should have International Standard Certification from their respective manufacturers.

Regards.

[Greatest 55]

^^ so one can import HTC/Palm based handsets??

[Honest 836]

^^^

Yes my dear greatest if the manufacturers provide the International Standard Certification then you can import the same.

Regards.

[Greatest 55]

thanks..